They are at it again in Ohio among other places, they being the "patriotic" Republican party which loves America so much that it just doesn't want too many of us to vote. It's no secret that in the last few decades, if not longer, the Republicans have wished (some say prayed) for bad weather and bad voter turnout, while the Democrats have hoped for just the opposite. But since controlling the weather prayer wise or otherwise, the G.O.P. has tried to do it court wise, or in our point of view court-wise guy. Who can forget the "felonless" of Florida in 2000 which may have helped change the history of this country? More recently they tried and failed in a split the electoral vote scam in California, so now (some of) their current focus is on suppressing voters in Ohio and Michigan. In Ohio, their first attempt which the Supreme Court denied focused on "inconsistencies" in voter roles including such threats to Democracy as typo's and hyphens involving just a few individuals so they, the Republicans, naturally sought to challenge the right to vote of many thousands of citizens. This of course was done in Democratic districts. In Michigan they really put the compassionate conservatism (they don't really try and sell that crap anymore, huh) by arguing that those who had had their homes foreclosed shouldn't be allowed to vote since they no longer had an official address.
We are sure in other states, and in other ways right up until the polls close on November 4th and maybe after in recounts, the righteous right that so loves America will continue to mess with the right of Americans to vote.
Still there is the chance that Mr. Obama might just win, and maybe this one time Republican die hearts should think beyond the moment and put their country and their own posterity first. That noted, we say to the voter suppression, regression, and aggression bunch, please for the sake of your party and your legacy take something into account. Take into account that while you are perceived by so much of America to have (inadvertently?) grabbed the 2000 election, and may well have (accidentally?) benefited from the Diebold machined on Ohio in the 2004 election you would have to outright heist this one in 2008. You wouldn't then have a very supportive America or for that matter a very proud posterity. So look one time in the mirror as you reflect on history.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
FOR THE "RIGHT" TO WIN, STOP THE RIGHT TO VOTE
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1 comment:
Great post.
As strongly as I support your plea for decency and democracy on the part of the Elephants, I am quite confident that GOP behavior this election will be no different than in years past. And why should we think it would be? If history has taught us anything, it certainly isn't that nice guys finish first.
The problem, to me, doesn't stem from an unwillingness, or even unconsciousness on the part of Republicans to recognize, and then subsequently act to prevent the damage done by their below the belt political strategies. They know what they are doing.
The problem, as I see it, is an unwillingness to stop playing the Game. A game in which the only goal is that the winner makes the most money, and the losers simply deal with it. For the Republicans, it all about the W. No pun intended.
By now, it's certainly clear that the asinine talking points of Bill Ayers, flag pins, off-the-deep-end pastors, voter registration fraud, and hyphenated last names don't mean a lick when it comes to Presidential readiness, capability, leadership, and the issues that matter most to our country. This year more than any other in history has seen prominent Republicans, party leaders, going on record to say as much.
But even so, as irrelevant as the non-issues are to real politics, they do matter to The Game.
They matter to the people with echoes between their ears. They matter to, unfortunately, too many misguided, poorly educated, "pro-Americans." And the Republicans, in their heartless strategy, play the cards they think they need to win.
Republicans don't ponder this game as right or wrong, ethical or moral. They see it as strategy. They won't "look at themselves in the mirror" this election and decide to do the decent thing - stand down from inhibiting voting, cut the crap on silly accusations, consider their opponent a human being with a real desire to serve the public good. Why? B/c they think doing so means they can't win.
So here's the kicker. Here is our ace in the hole. This year, the game has changed. Has it changed forever, who knows, maybe. But THIS YEAR, things are different. This year they have an opponent who has stayed above the fray. They have an opponent who can speak in a way that lets others hear him, and he's talking about what matters. He hasn't changed his strategy from day one, but that's because it wasn't a strategy to begin with. It was, and still is, a commitment to uphold the decency, civility and humility that the Presidential office requires. Gratefully, Barack Obama has understood his purpose all along, and finally, our country is beginning to understand him.
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